Insulating packaging material and related packaging system

Abstract

Insulating packaging material is positioned around a product, including 1-ply, 2-ply, or 3-ply material. Some of the embodiments include a layer of bubble wrap material having its bubble side placed against the flat side of the adjacent ply, which can be metalized plastic film, a foam layer, or both. With such an arrangement, air pockets are formed between the bubbles and the other ply's flat surface. A separate layer of bubble wrap may be similarly placed about the interior of the box A system for delivering perishable groceries includes a box; a source of cold (or heat) maintaining the temperature inside the box within a desired temperature range, and using a pouch of packet material. Each packet may contain a super-absorbent polymer which is hydrated and then either frozen or heated, without producing moisture when thawing or cooling.

1. An insulating, multi-ply packaging material used in connection with the packaging and shipping of goods, comprising:
 a first layer of sheet material having a substantially flat surface; 
 a second layer of sheet material including flexible bubble wrap material having at least one side having a series of bubbles thereon, each bubble having an outermost surface, said first layer and said second layer being associated together with the outermost surfaces of said bubbles being in contacting, face-to-face, interfacing engagement with said flat surface, forming a multitudinous series of pockets of gaseous media between said bubbles and said flat surface, enhancing the temperature insulating characteristics of the packing material, said associated first and second layers of sheet material form a pouch into which the goods are placed for shipment, 
 wherein there is further included with said pouch: flexible refrigerant material having a series of spaced packets containing super-absorbent polymeric material, which when hydrated by a liquid at a significantly different temperature than the ambient generates a significant temperature delta between the goods and the ambient, the refrigerant wrapped goods being positioned in and completely covered by said pouch; 
 a further sheet of bubble wrap material having bubbles surrounding the pouch with the goods located in the pouch; and 
 a delivery box having walls having substantially flat interior wall surfaces defining an interior into which the goods are placed for shipment, the bubbles of said further sheet of bubble wrap material being directed away from said pouch and toward the interior surfaces of said box. 
 
   
   
     2. The insulating, multi-ply packaging material of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bubbles of said bubble wrap material are in face-to-face engagement with said interior wall surfaces, forming a further multitudinous series of pockets of gaseous media between said bubbles and said substantially flat, interior surfaces of said box, enhancing the temperature insulating characteristics of the combined bubble wrap materials and the walls of said box. 
 
   
   
     3. The insulating, multi-ply packaging material of  claim 1 , wherein: said associated first and second layers of sheet material form a cover, said cover being placed all about said box, covering it over and protecting it. 
   
   
     4. A packaging system for products, comprising:
 a box having an interior made up of a set of flat surfaces; 
 an interior layer of bubble wrap packing material having at least one side having a series of bubbles thereon each having an outermost surface, said packing material and the interior of said box being associated together with the outermost surfaces of said bubbles being in contacting engagement with said flat surfaces, forming a series of pockets of gaseous media between said bubbles and said flat surfaces, enhancing the insulating characteristics of said packing material and said box; 
 a first layer of flexible sheet material having a substantially flat surface; and 
 a second layer of flexible sheet material including flexible bubble wrap material having at least one side having a series of bubbles thereon, each bubble having an outermost surface, said first layer and said second layer being associated together with the outermost surfaces of said bubbles being in contacting, face-to-face, interfacing engagement with said substantially flat surface of said first layer forming a multitudinous series of pockets of gaseous media between said bubbles and said substantially flat surface of said first layer enhancing the temperature insulating characteristics of the packing material, said associated layers of sheet material used to be placed around the goods, with the goods and the surrounding combined, first and second layers being located in the interior of said box; and 
 flexible refrigerant material, associated with said combined layers of flexible material, having a series of spaced packets containing super-absorbent polymeric material, which when hydrated by a liquid and when at a significantly different temperature than the ambient generates a significant temperature delta between its temperature and the ambient, the refrigerant material in association with said two, flexible layers of sheet material surrounding the goods and located in the interior of said box. 
 
   
   
     5. The packaging system of  claim 4 , in which there is further included: a cover placed all about said box, covering it over and protecting it. 
   
   
     6. The packaging system of  claim 5 , wherein said cover comprises: a plastic sheet with a metalized surface, with the metalized surface located facing out toward the exterior ambient surrounding the box.